Cue data recording apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for recording cue data identifying characteristics of information recorded in tracks on a magnetic tape; for example, the cue data identifying beginning, end and various predetermined portions of program material, such as an audio program, a video program, or the like. The recorded information is played back, and a cue signal generator generates respective cue signals upon the occurrences of respective ones of the predetermined characteristics in the played back information. For example, one type of cue signal is generated when the beginning of the program is played back, another type of cue signal is generated when the end of the program is played back, and various respective cue signals are generated when different predetermined portions of the program are played back. In addition to generating the cue signals, code signals having a predetermined relationship with the played back information also are generated. For example, the code signals may represent the relative locations on the magnetic tape at which the predetermined characteristics (e.g. beginning, end and predetermined portions) of the program are recorded. A memory stores the code and cue signals, and a format circuit produces cue data in a predetermined format as a function of the stored code and cue signals. The cue data in this predetermined format then is recorded on the magnetic tape in a track which differs from the tracks in which the information is recorded. Alternatively, the cue data is recorded on a disc record, such as a master disc from which replicas subsequently may be made.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for recording cue data identifying predetermined characteristics of information recorded in tracks on a magnetic tape, said apparatus comprising playback means for playing back said information; code signal generating means for generating code signals having a predetermined relationship with the played back information; cue signal generating means for generating respective cue signals upon the occurrence of respective ones of said predetermined characteristics in the played back information; memory means for storing said code signals and said cue signals; format means for producing cue data in a predetermined format in accordance with the stored code and cue signals; and recording means for recording said cue data in a track on said magnetic tape different from the tracks in which said information is recorded. 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said code signals represent relative locations on said magnetic tape at which said information is recorded. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said code signals are recorded on said magnetic tape; and wherein said code signal generating means includes code signal playback means for playing back said code signals from said tape. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said code signals are time code signals representing the relative times at which said information is recorded on said magnetic tape. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cue signal generating means include manual switch means selectively operable by a user when said user detects said respective ones of said predetermined characteristics in said played back information. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said switch means include keyboard means having a plurality of switches for respective ones of said predetermined characteristics, each of said switches being manually operable by the user when he detects a respective predetermined characteristic to generate a respective cue signal. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said code signals represent relative locations on said magnetic tape at which said information is recorded, said code signals also being recorded on said magnetic tape; and wherein said code signal generating means includes code signal playback means for playing back the code signals recorded on said magnetic tape, and means responsive to the manual operation of a switch included in the keyboard means of said cue signal generating means to detect the code signal played back at the time that said switch is operated. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said code signals represent relative locations on said magnetic tape at which said information is recorded; and wherein said code signal generating means includes a keyboard having manually operable keys selectively operated by the user to generate respective code signals. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said format means includes encoding means for encoding said cue and code signals in a selected one of at least two cue signal formats. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said encoding means includes format selector switch means operable by the user to select a desired cue signal format. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said format selector switch means includes a first switch operable to encode said cue signal to produce a flag signal indicative of the occurrence of a predetermined characteristic; wherein said code signal represents the relative location on said tape at which said predetermined characteristic is detected; and wherein said recording means is operative to record said flag signal and said code signal in a separate track on said magnetic tape independent of the actual location on said magnetic tape at which said predetermined characteristic was detected. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said format selector switch means includes a second switch operable to encode said cue signal to represent the occurrence and identity of a predetermined characteristic; wherein said code signal represents the relative location on said tape at which said predetermined characteristic occurred; wherein said format selector means is further operable to include, in said encoded cue signal, a location signal derived from said code signal; and wherein said recording means is operative to record in a separate track on said magnetic tape, successive encoded cue signals including location signals. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said format means further includes format identifying means for adding to the encoded cue signal a format identifying signal for identifying the cue signal format that has been selected. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the information recorded in said tracks on said magnetic tape is program information, and said predetermined characteristics include the beginning, end and predetermined portions of each program; and wherein the switches of said keyboard means are manually operable to generate cue signals representing the beginning, end and predetermined portions, respectively, of a program. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said code signals represent relative locations on said tape and are recorded on said tape; and wherein said code signal generating means include code signal playback means for playing back said recorded code signals, and means responsive to the operation of a switch of said keyboard means to detect the code signals played back at that time. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said code signals represent relative locations on said tape and are recorded on said tape; and wherein said code signal generating means include a keyboard having keys manually operable by the user to generate code signals generally corresponding to the code signals recorded on said tape at the locations whereat the beginning, end and predetermined portions of each program are respectively detected. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said information is audio information. 
     
     
       18. Apparatus for utilizing cue data recorded on a magnetic tape and representing predetermined characteristics of information also recorded on said magnetic tape, said apparatus comprising playback means for playing back said cue data and said information from said magnetic tape; memory means for temporarily storing said played back cue data; format means for combining the cue data stored in said memory means and the played back information into a combined signal having a cue data portion and an information portion; and utilization means for utilizing said combined signal. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said cue data is recorded on said magnetic tape in a track which differs from the track or tracks in which said information is recorded. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said magnetic tape has recorded further thereon code signals representing relative locations on said tape; wherein said playback means is operative to play back said code signals; and wherein said format means is operative in response to the played back code signals to combine said cue data stored in said memory means with the played back information. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said utilization means comprises means for making a disc record by recording said combined signal on a disc. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said cue data recorded on said magnetic tape includes a first portion containing data representing the predetermined characteristics of the recorded information and an associated second portion containing data representing the relative locations on said magnetic tape at which said predetermined characteristics occur. 
     
     
       23. Edit apparatus comprising: playback means for playing back from a first magnetic tape information recorded thereon and also playing back code signals representing relative locations on said first magnetic tape; recording means for recording in tracks on a second magnetic tape selected portions of the information played back from said first magnetic tape and also for recording code signals representing relative locations on said second magnetic tape; edit means for selecting edit points at which portions of the information played back from said first magnetic tape are recorded on said second magnetic tape; cue signal generating means for generating respective cue signals representing the occurrence of said edit points and the occurrence of predetermined characteristics in the played back information; memory means for storing said cue signals and code signals representing selected relative locations on said second magnetic tape; format means for producing cue data in a predetermined format in accordance with the stored cue and code signals; and means for supplying to said recording means the cue data produced by said format means for recording said cue data on said second magnetic tape in a track different from the tracks in which said information is recorded; whereby the cue data recorded on said second magnetic tape represents the predetermined characteristic in the information recorded on said second magnetic tape. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said cue signal generating means include keyboard means having a plurality of switches selectively operable by a user when the user detects a predetermined characteristic in the played back information for generating a respective cue signal. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said recording means is operative to record said cue data in successive sectors in said different track, the cue data in each sector representing the occurrence of a respective predetermined characteristic and the relative location on said second magnetic tape at which said predetermined characteristic is recorded, and the successive sectors being recorded in said different tracks at locations which are independent of the actual locations of the respective predetermined characteristics.